Clodius’ Projected Manumission of Slaves in Cicero’s Pro Milone

Author: Tzounakas, Spyridon
Title: Clodius’ Projected Manumission of Slaves in Cicero’s Pro Milone
Review/Collection: "Arctos", 40
Year edition: 2006
Pages: 167-174
Keywords: Droit - Diritto - Law, Histoire - Storia - History, Politique - Politica - Politics
Description: [Tzounakas, Spyridon] [Abstract] In this article I argue that Cicero’s allegation that Clodius projected extensive manumission of slaves (Mil. 87 and 89) serves a number of the orator’s purposes. Apart from the fact that this statement reinforces the main lines of defence, it should be included in the broader context of Cicero’s attempt to equate Clodius with a tyrant, since already in Greek philosophical and political thought the manumission of slaves is a characteristic of a tyrant. In addition, this allegation could be interpreted as an attempt at an implicit connection between Clodius and Catiline or as a counter-attack to the accusation against Cicero for aspiring to tyranny. Besides, this statement could be connected with the orator’s attempt to justify the freeing of Milo’s slaves and lead to a comparison of the two cases. Finally, by highlighting this project Cicero aims at the moral denigration of Clodius, depicts him as a person of low moral calibre and attempts to distance him from the national principles of Rome by linking him to barbarism, thus implying that the loss of such a man was in the best interest of Rome.
Works:
Link: https://www.academia.edu/29372023/_Clodius_Projected_Manumission_of_Slaves_in_Ciceros_Pro_Milone_Arctos_40_2006_167_174?email_work_card=view-paper
Author initials: Tzounakas 2006